The Reason I Left Mullingar Lyrics And Chords

Pat Cooksky wrote this song. Made famous by The Furey Brothers And Davie Arthur [ songs ]. An Irish folk song about emigration from Ireland in the 1980s to London where many an Irish person went looking for work. The sheet music notes are included. For those who don't already know, Mullingar is a town in Co. Westmeath in Ireland.

I[Em] walked through this[D] city a[C] stran[G]ger,
in a[F] land I can[C] never call[G] hom[D]e,
And I[Em] cursed the sad[D] notion that[C] caused[G] me,
in[Em] search of my fortune toD] rome.
[2]
Im weary of working and drinking,
a week's wages left by the bar,
And Lord it's a shame to use a friends name,
to beg for the price of a jar.
[Chorus]
I[Em] remember that[D] bright april[C] mor[G]ning,
when I[F] left home to[C] travel[G] a-[D]far,
To[Em] work till your[D] dead for a[C] room and a[G] bed,
It's not the[G] reason I[D] left Mullin[G]gar.
[3]
Oh this London's a city of heartbreak,
on friday there's friends by the score,
But when the pay's finished on monday,
a friend's not your friend anymore.
[4]
Oh a working day seems never ending,
from a shovel and pick there's no break,
But when your not working your spending,
that fortune you left home to make.
[5]
And for everyone here that finds fortune,
and comes home to tell of the tale,
Each morning the broadway is crowed,
with many's the thousant that failed.
[6]
So young men of Ireland take warning,
in London you never will find,
The gold at the end of the rainbow,
you might just have left it behind.

The Sheet Music